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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27146431">"Moony"</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Breadmione/pseuds/Starryar'>Starryar (Breadmione)</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Friendship, Friendship/Love, Gen, James Potter is a Good Friend, Marauders Era (Harry Potter), Marauders Friendship (Harry Potter), One Shot, POV Remus Lupin, POV Third Person Limited, Remus Lupin Needs a Hug, Short One Shot, Sirius Black &amp; James Potter Friendship, The Marauder's Map, Werewolves, Young James Potter, Young Peter Pettigrew, Young Remus Lupin, Young Sirius Black</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 21:55:58</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,627</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27146431</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Breadmione/pseuds/Starryar</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>There were three times Young Remus Lupins' life changed: The first time was at the age of four when he was turned into a werewolf, the second time was when he received his Hogwarts letter, and the last time was in fifth year, when his best friends became a part of his pack.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>26</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>"Moony"</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mimifreed/gifts">Mimifreed</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>because you were right: We deserve Marauder's content.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  
</p><p> </p><p>Ever since he was four, Remus John Lupin could hear the wolf within him.</p><p><em>Hunt</em>, It growled.</p><p><em>Mate</em>, it whined.</p><p><em>Dominate</em>, it demanded.</p><p>But Remus John Lupin did none of these things.</p><p><em>Eat</em>, he retorted as he bit into a bar of dark chocolate, hoping to poison the canine within him.</p><p><em>Celibacy,</em> he chimed back as he kneeled next to his parents on a warm Summer's Sunday, praying for God to take his 'condition' away.</p><p><em>Blend in,</em> he demanded as Albus Dumbledore himself delivered his Hogwarts letter on his eleventh birthday.</p><hr/><p>"Remember, Re -" Remus looked up at Lyall Lupin, his eyes that seemed to hold the greenest of the Welsh lands were full of hope as his father almost said his name. It would have been the first time in years if he had let himself say it, but Lyall caught himself as he always did when he almost slipped. "Remember, you're not to be any trouble at Hogwarts. Dumbledore has decided to go and risk his good name for you. You aren't to tell a single soul about your... 'affliction'." Lyall shook his head and shoulders as if referring to the Lycanthropy would cause him to morph under the full moon like Remus did. <em>The wolf growled.</em> "Do you understand me?"</p><p>"Remus isn't stupid, love. He's a very bright boy." His mother, Hope, always came to his defense – even when he found her shying away from Remus when there were mere days left till the full moon. <em>The wolf cried for her.</em> "Be sure to write your dear mother back, Remus, all right?"</p><p>"I promise, mum."</p><p>"Where did you get that from?" A boy with bright brown eyes and messy black hair tried to touch the single scar on Remus' face, but Remus quickly pressed himself against the compartment wall to stay out of reach. Remus was scared, never being allowed around other children. He never knew they could be so... touchy. <em>The wolf living within in was whining</em>, but it was different this time as it was coupled with panting. It was almost... playful?</p><p>"My mum says that it's rude to touch people without permission." A mousy boy who was on the chubbier side said. His hair was blonde like Remus' but more of a dirty blonde compared to the sandy shade Remus' had.</p><p>"Probably because it is." Another boy stated. He wore the finest robes of them all and had a smirk on his face.</p><p>
  <em>Blend in, blend in, blend in.</em>
</p><p>"What's your name?" The first boy said. He had a good-natured face and a bright smile.</p><p>"Lu- Lupin. Remus John Lupin." Remus glanced between the three boys, uncomfortable being the center of attention. <em>Is it possible that they know that I'm different?</em></p><p>"How formal." The boy with the fine robes said. He looked Remus up and down, trying to make heads or tails of the Welsh boy's shabby attire. "I'm Black. Sirius Orion Black."</p><p>"I'm Potter!" The boy sitting next to Remus said excitedly, not wanting to be outdone in introductions. "James Fleamont Potter."</p><p>"Pettigrew. Peter Pettigrew." The chubby boy wriggled his fingers as he spoke.</p><p>"You don't have a middle name?" James asked abruptly, leaning forward with interest.</p><p>"No." Peter seemed to almost shrink into his seat as Sirius laughed. He had a raucous laughter that sounded too rough for his age, and it made Remus jump.</p><p>"Guess you'll have to be the odd one out of our friend group since you're the only one who doesn't have your father's name for a middle name." Sirius' smirk broadened into a grin at the tease.</p><p><em>Why don't I have a name?</em> Remus ignored the wolf as he latched on to a single word Sirius had thrown so casually into the conversation: friend. Remus licked his lips trying to summon his bravery as he saw Peter's downcast expression at the joke. "I don't have my father's first name for a middle name."</p><p>All three sets of eyes were on him again. "So you got a boring name for no good reason?" Sirius looked completely taken aback that a Pure-blood tradition had not been followed through by not just one family, but <em>two</em> in the compartment he occupied. "Lucky. I wish I could give up my middle name - No, <em>all</em> of my names. No constellations, no Slytherin ties -"</p><p>"Slytherin?!" James looked comically scandalized at hearing the house name. "You're going to be in Slytherin?"</p><p>"The bloody hell I am!" Sirius snapped. Remus knew it wasn't exactly at James, more at the accusation. "I'm going to be in Gryffindor." His steel gray eyes looked from Peter, to James then Remus. "And you lot better not end up in Slytherin, either."</p><p>Remus didn't know what else to say, so he hid his smile behind <em>Hogwarts: A History</em>, reassuring himself that having friends <em>was</em> a part of bending in. He took the Wolf's silence as a form of it agreeing with him.</p><hr/><p>Remus walked with one arm wrapped around his sore stomach, the other gripping his Gryffindor robes. Madam Pomfrey could only do so much, and with his fixation on not wanting to be more of a burden than he already was, he insisted he head back to Gryffindor Tower, despite the soreness that was quite literally, bone deep.</p><p>When he finally made it to the seventh floor where the Gryffindor common room was, he was surprised to walk in and see that James, Sirius, and Peter were there waiting for him. Remus swallowed hard and he knew that it was visible to his friends. The wolf was still present, pacing just behind Remus, looking on either side of him to see what would happen next. In the pregnant silence, Remus imagined he was putting the wolf into the cage he had been kept in nearly all Summer by Lyall Lupin, before being let out to do last minute second year shopping for his return to Hogwarts.</p><p>
  <em>The wolf gave a low and dangerous growl as it stuck his muzzle between the hefty iron bars.</em>
</p><p>"Where have you been, Remus?" Peter was the one who asked, his voice high and borderline nasally from how nervous he felt. Peter glanced between James and SIrius, both who had their heads down, un-speaking as they listen to the conversation.</p><p>"I was in the infirmary." Remus' voice was sure and calm, no hint of pain could be found within it.</p><p>"Where else?" Now it was Sirius who spoke. His voice was a different type of calm, one that implied he was gearing up to verbally dance around Remus.</p><p>James leaned back into the sofa and threw his hands in the air. "I've been up all night waiting for him, this is stupid." He looked up at Remus who still had yet to take more than three steps from the portrait hole. "We know, Remus."</p><p>Sirius shot James a look that would have been lethal if he could throw daggers from them. "<em>I </em>have also been waiting all night too, and <em>I</em> wanted to have a little fun. Do you know how hard it is to find anything to make fun of <em>Remus</em> for?"</p><p>The tall boy looked at all three of his friends, eventually settling his eyes on Peter and throwing his hands up as if to ask 'what are they on about?' "We know you're a were-"</p><p>"SHHHHH!" James and Sirius nearly tackled Peter to the ground, both with a hand over the dirty blonde's mouth. "Do you not read <em>The Prophet</em>? You can't just say that about people and expose them!"</p><p>"Seriously, Pete, what the hell?"</p><p>"No, <em>I'm</em> Sirius -"</p><p><em>Whap!</em> James had cuffed his long haired friend on the side of his head. "No more name jokes-"</p><p>"Guys," The word was muffled as Peter's mouth still had SIrius' hands over it, but he was now pointing at Remus who was sitting with his back against the wall, hyperventilating.</p><p><em>They know, they know, they know, they know.</em> Remus was unsure who was chanting the two words that seemed to bring his current life as he knew it to an end. 'They'll hate me - ' <em>No, they're pack.</em> 'Shut up.' <em>Pack.</em> 'I hate you!' <em>The wolf growled. Fri- Friends.</em> Remus made a guttural, but very human noise hearing the wolf use a non-primal word. A <em>Remus</em> word as he had come to dub it.</p><p>"Remus, are you okay?" Sirius and James were kneeling on either side of him, concern on one face, worry on the other. Peter was leaning on the arm of the couch, watching from afar.</p><p>Remus flinched when James put a hand on his knee. 'Why isn't he scared of me?' "How did you -"</p><p>"You're always gone around the full moon and we used the invisibility cloak to sneak into the infirmary." Sirius shrugged as if he was stating the days of the week rather than how they had discovered their best mate was a <em>werewolf</em>.</p><p>"How are you so calm? Don't you hate me?" 'Lyall hates me.' <em>This time the wolf barked at the mention of Remus' father.</em></p><p>"Hate you?" James actually looked offended. "You didn't choose that, Remus. And even if you did, Werewolves aren't dark beings. We still consider you one of our best mates." James gave him a genuine smile. "Gryffin-boys for life," he added.</p><p>"We are <em>not</em> naming ourselves that, James." Sirius looked as if he was going to pull every last hair out of his head if he heard the ridiculous title again. This was saying something as Sirius made it a point to fight his parents on cutting his hair everyday he was back at Grimmauld place. "We -"</p><p>Sirius never finished his sentence as Remus tugged on the sleeves of both boys robes so he could pull them into a hug. He sniffled as he fought back tears and the wolf within in was <em>yipping</em> for once. James and Sirius laughed before James looped an arm around Remus neck and rubbed his knuckles against his scalp. It only caused the tears to fall down Remus' face, but they were happy tears.</p><p>Tears of relief of being accepted for once. He didn't have to worry about blending in around these three anymore.</p><p>Sirius was the first to sit up from the small dog pile they created beneath the portrait hole. "Okay, okay, it's time to get Seri-"</p><p>"Don't. Say it." James held a finger in Sirius' face.</p><p>Sirius rolled his eyes as he reached into his robe pockets and pulled out a folded stack of parchment. "We couldn't get rid of you if we wanted to Remus, you're the brains of the group."</p><p>"Hey!" Peter called from the couch where he was still sitting.</p><p>"Get over here, Pete, we have to catch Remus up on our idea for the map."</p><hr/><p>Fifth year was the best year of Remus' Hogwarts career as a student.</p><p>Remus ran from the Library on the ground floor, to the Room of Requirement that James, Sirius, and Peter frequented regularly on the weekends. He was sure he had been deducted nearly thirty house points as he passed prefects and professors, but he could hardly care. <em>I did it. I finally completed it.</em> For three years they, the Maurader's as they had eventually agreed to dub themselves, had been working on the map. Remus had a heavy hand in creating it and spent nearly all of his free time perfect it and adding the layers upon layers of charms without disrupting any of the other enchantments it was laced with.</p><p>And tonight, just a day before the full moon, he had completed it.</p><p>Remus was grinning from ear to ear as he burst into the unplottable room. He didn't notice his friends jump before immediately settling on silence as they watched him approach them. "I did it! The map is done!" Remus pulled it from between the pages of his year five Defense Against the Dark Arts book. He turned it to face his three friends who now stood in a circle in front of him, eager to see one of their projects come to a close. "I solemnly swear I am up to no good." Remus lifted his wand from it and blocky words started to form on the the parchment. He opened it and they were suddenly able to see anyone within the castle walls walking around.</p><p>"Wicked." Peter whispered as James and Sirius glanced at each other, no doubt running through the list of complex pranks that just became a hell of a lot easier. Remus beamed at their reactions, finally feeling like he had paid his friend's back for the kindness they had shown him over the years.</p><p>"This is perfect timing, you know." James ran a hand through his hair, a habit he developed to keep it looking just the perfect amount of tousled.</p><p>Sirius plucked the map from Remus' hand and immediately turned his wand on it, but not to make the ink disappear. Alarm flooded Remus' system and he lurched forward, but Sirius was too quick and ducked out of the way. "Relax, I'm just adding some cosmetic touches to it."</p><p>Remus' eyebrows came together. "You chose the red ink, how much more gaudy do you plan on making it?" Sirius threw a glare over his shoulder and Peter guffawed as James snorted.</p><p>After a moment, Sirius returned the map to Remus who immediately started to check for any damage to the work he put in to it. He did admit it <em>did </em>look better, as it now was embellished with images of fancy ribbons and a fortress resembling the Hogwarts structure, but what had him frowning was the words placed directly in the middle of it: <em>Messrs. MOONY, WORMTAIL, PADFOOT &amp; PRONGS are proud to present THE MAURADER'S MAP.</em></p><p>"I get who the Maurader's are, but who ar-" When Remus looked up, he couldn't help but drop the map and his Defense Against the Dark Arts book. Before him was a large over sized black dog and a stag who stood as proud as Godric himself. Between them, was a small rat that ran between their front legs until it noticed it had Remus' attention and squeaked.</p><p>The wolf was going absolutely feral in the cage that had already been weakened so close to the full moon. <em>Friends, Pack, Play, Friends, Pack, Pack, Pack.</em> Suddenly, the change in their scents over the past few months made complete sense. Remus thought he was losing his mind from the lack of sleep between studying and the map, only to find his friends were taking the next step in transfiguration. "You became Animagus?" He let out another laugh. "That's amazing. How long did it take you?"</p><p>James was the first to shift back, closely followed by Peter and Sirius. "I don't want to talk about it." Remus laughed at the face his best friend made. "So do you get it? The names I mean?"</p><p>Remus looked down at the map once more. "Wormtail is Peter."</p><p>"Right." James confirmed.</p><p>"Padfoot would be Sirius."</p><p>"Ten points to Gryffindor." Sirius quipped.</p><p>"And of course James is Prongs."</p><p>"Three out of three." Peter chimed and Sirius threw an arm over Peter's shoulders, clearly beside himself with pride.</p><p>"So then... I'm Moony?"</p><p>"Because of the wolf." Worry flitted across Sirius' face. "Was that too much? I could change it if you like -"</p><p>
  <em>I have a name.</em>
</p><p>Remus laughed, trying to wrap his head around the friends he had. "It's bloody perfect."</p><p>James, Sirius and Peter all cheered, high-fiving each other.</p><p>"So what pranks do you have planned that required an animal form?"</p><p>"Ah, no prank." James' eyebrows raised as he stuffed his hands into his robe pockets. Remus' eyes narrowed knowing that what James was going to say next, was not going to go over well. "We did it so we could go into the shrieking shack with you. To protect you from hurting yourself."</p><p>"No." Remus immediately said, picking his stuff off of the floor. <em>Moony whined for his friends</em>. Remus shook his head, not believing that they were idiotic enough to think he would agree to that. "Absolutely not."</p><p>"Remus -" James started, but Remus rounded on him.</p><p>"I SAID NO!" His voice boomed in the space the room had provided them and for the first time in his life, he didn't stop his eyes from turning gold when he felt it happen. 'They need to see me like this, they need to know I am the monster.'</p><p>He should have known that James and Sirius would only become more determined to fight him on it. "Listen, you self-deprecating little shit," Sirius walked right up to Remus and the power move had elicited a green flicker in Remus' eyes. <em>Padfoot doesn't flinch like Lyall. Padfoot is pack.</em> Remus, who did notice that the wolf within him had become more intelligent as the years passed, was still not used to hearing him speak in almost full, coherent sentences. "We've been watching you hurt yourself for <em>years</em> on every full moon, without being able to do anything. We did this for you, Remus."</p><p>"No, I – The thing -" <em>Moony growled at being referred to as an object. </em>"It takes over. I can hurt you, I -I could kill you." Remus' voice was a horrified whisper.</p><p>"That thing is a part of you, more than that mustache you keep trying to grow." Remus looked down to see James standing beside Sirius. <em>Prongs is kind like Hope. Prongs is friend.</em> He had been so deep in his thoughts, that he hadn't noticed James had approached him too. "We're family now, and family takes care of each other. You won't hurt us and the fact you <em>think</em> you think we would let you hurt us is insulting."</p><p>"This isn't a stupid pride thing, James!" The gold was stirring in his irises again as he grew frustrated with his friends. "I am a <em>Monster.</em>"</p><p>"You are not!" Sirius and James said in unison.</p><p>"Listen. We have our Animagus forms and we put <em>three years</em> into meditation, bay leaves, and storm magic, all so we could have a <em>chance</em> at keeping you safe!" SIrius' eyes were wild with rage and he was getting to the point of visibly shaking. "You think we haven't discussed or thought about what the risks are?"</p><p>"Three years?" Remus asked incredulously.</p><p>Sirius cocked his head to the side, much like a curious dog would. "Was that your only take away? Did you not hear me ask you a question?"</p><p>"No, Sirius, I've been working on the map for three years." Remus looked between the two of them. Peter was watching with rapt attention, heads hovering by his face. "Was this something we didn't need at all?" Remus waved the map in the air, almost angrily.</p><p>"We needed something to distract you." Sirius unapologetically threw his hands in the air.</p><p>"Not completely true." James said as Sirius turned away from him and Remus. "And for the record, it's all four of us who have been working on the map for three years." James took a step closer to Sirius, before whispering, "speaking of, you owe me ten galleons."</p><p>"Shove off, Prongs."</p><p>"Wait, ten galleons for <em>what</em>? Was the map literally <em>only</em> a distraction?"</p><p>"Of course not." Sirius turned back around. "We needed that map and we all did what we could for it. Obviously we knew you would have the best idea on how to reach our vision – which is why your name is first by the way." Sirius defended. Before continuing he sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "The night we told you that we knew... We actually knew for a few months. We did our research on werewolves, we looked into what we could do to help and then we came up with a list of distractions for you while we worked on becoming Animagi. The map was at the top of said list. I owe James ten galleons because I thought you would get through the list of distractions before we were able to shift into our forms."</p><p><em>Moony let out a yearning whimper</em> and Remus felt tears spring to his eyes. He turned away from his friends to process what they confessed to him and squeezed the bridge of his nose. <em>I won't hurt pack.</em></p><p>When Remus turned around, he made his decision. His heart was full and his eyes were green as he settled his gaze on his best mates. Remus would never trust the wolf, within him, most days he didn't trust <em>himself</em>, but James was right. Moony was a part of him more than chocolate was – and he had ate his fair weight in it since the age of four.</p><p>What he could trust though, were his friends. All three of them.</p><p>"One night. If there is even a single bit of fur out of place when I shift back on any of you, you are never to go down there with me again. Understood?"</p><p>"Yes!" James and Sirius high-fived each other once more and Peter breathed a sigh of relief.</p><hr/><p>Remus John Lupin was a scared boy raised by a cruel father and a dying mother. He was a boy who had been scared to make friends, let alone try and keep them. He also fought the wolf tooth and nail every chance he got, full or new moon.</p><p>Remus "Moony" Lupin, however, was a young man with a loving family that consisted of Hope who was a doting mother, and three Mauraders. He was hard on himself, in every single way, but what he had come to accept was that while life could be unfair, it was up to him if he controlled the wolf that was a part of him, or fight it.</p>
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